


Happy

by starrystarrytrouble



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Cooking, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Games, Morning Kisses, Morning Routines, Pancakes, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27920941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrystarrytrouble/pseuds/starrystarrytrouble
Summary: Ethan and MC share their first real morning together.Set early in OH3.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 46





	Happy

Rain pattered on the wide balcony windows as the soft glow of sunlight emerged through the grey spring clouds in the distance.

Ethan looked out at the erratic morning sky. However miserable it was outside, inside the air was tinged with pure bliss. 

He shifted from the window to the hob. Without turning around, he could feel the warmth of her gaze on his back.

“You’re doing it again.”

Eve jumped, his sternness breaking through the comfortable silence.

“What?”

“Staring.”

She heard the smile in his voice and brought her knees close to her chest, sinking into the chair.

“Can you blame me? I have the great Ethan Ramsey half naked in front of me being all…”

She was smirking wide when he turned to face her, frying pan in hand.

“Does that sentence have an ending?”

“ _Domestic_.”

She relished every syllable, her smile widening as she heard him groan.

“C’mon Ethan. This is the first morning off we’ve both had together…ever. And I like watching you. Figuring out how you do things in the morning. Now that I can.”

There was a softness to her last words and Ethan caught the meaning immediately.

Months of uncertainty and exhaustion as Edenbrook neared its closure meant that time together was precious and rationed.

Being out in public, being known to others, the knowledge that others were talking about them, and Ethan knew that they _were_ , all of it was a new challenge to weather. And they’d handled it just fine, as he should have always known they would.

But even without all of that, there was the reality of navigating a new relationship.

The newness was both freeing and constricting.

They knew each other but there was also so much they didn’t know, so much that they weren’t supposed to so early on.

And maybe, a small voice inside told him, he should just learn to relax and enjoy it.

“Feel free to keep watching then,” he said meeting her gaze.

Her green eyes widened at his words as she tilted her head to the side gently in approval.

Her dark hair was still messed up, her small frame drowning in his white dress shirt as she sat curled on his dining room chair. For a peaceful moment, it was him doing the staring, utterly transfixed by the radiant sight in front of him.

He continued moving through the kitchen, Eve’s eyes following each step.

She was revelling in every second of it.

Falling in love with him was equal parts a bewitching heaven and soul-draining hell.

There was a roadblock at every turn. The rules changed over and over, so often, that she was sure they’d never make it. And now that they had, now nothing was stopping them anymore, she was enchanted by every moment.

Bathing in the joy that was _him_.

She liked to watch him around his apartment. Cooking, reading, fixing things. The absurdly mundane moments. Things she and only she had the privilege of seeing.

Anyone could see Dr Ramsey at the hospital. Work with him or catch him passing by. Few got to see shirtless Ethan mixing what looked like batter, while humming to himself.

She took in the view of him in the kitchen, etched it into her mind and saved it in the folder marked ‘for life’.

Because that’s what this was.

Forever.

She was still lost in the magic of the morning when he gently placed a perfectly arranged plate in front of her.

She blinked at the sight.

“Wait. Your dad told me you couldn’t make pancakes.”

“He was mistaken,” Ethan replied flatly.

Eve took a small bite, the sweetness and soft texture melting on her tongue.

“Huh. He really was.”

Ethan joined her at the table with intolerable smugness.

“So, don’t you want to know more about my morning routine?” Eve bit her lip lightly as she asked, mischief glowing on her flushed face.

Ethan stretched out over the dining table casually.

“I’ve worked with you for two years. I already know many things about you, morning or otherwise.”

“Like what?” she twirled her fork with a raised eyebrow.

“Like you only eat sweet things first thing.”

Eve put down the incriminating maple syrup bottle she was holding as Ethan carried on.

“You are impossibly difficult until you’ve had coffee. And after you’ve had coffee, you’re just impossible full stop.”

His words elicited a rich laugh from her as she threw her head back. The emerging sun sparkled off the chain around her neck, her whole face warm and lit in gold. He felt his breath catch and he took another second to admire her before he continued.

“Apparently you also don’t like to shower alone,” a smirk escaped his otherwise neutral demeanour.

“That,” she said with a grin of her own, “is a very recent development.”

He shifted in his seat with a small cough, suddenly distracted by the thought of her with water running down her collarbone across the curve of her chest.

“I still want to know more about your routine,” she continued with a twirl of her fork.

“You have plenty of time to find out.”

“But I’m so impatient,” she gave a subtle wink.

“You really are. Ask me whatever you like then,” he said.

Despite the light exasperation in his voice, she could see the curious smile glint through his blue eyes.

“Tea or coffee?”

“You know that one.”

“Jam or marmalade.”

“Neither.”

“Are you going to keep being this difficult?”

“Fine.”

“Eggs, fried or scrambled?”

“Poached.”

Eve sighed.

“Bed made or messy?”

“Be serious,” he huffed.

“Music or podcasts?”

“In the morning? Neither.”

“Ethan…”

She flashed him a small look of annoyance only to realise he knew _exactly_ what he was doing.

_Time to change tack then._

“Medical journal or newspaper?”

“Journal.”

_Gotcha._

“Jogging or gym?”

“Gym.”

“Emails before or after breakfast?”

“Before.”

“Do you like having me here?”

“Always.”

He answered without hesitation, so quickly, that for a moment she could only blink at him.

 _Ethan liked having her there._ It should’ve been obvious but being told was no less flattering. She felt a small burst of warmth at her chest. She was bold enough to push her luck.

“Do you want me here…more?” her voice was smaller than she had hoped.

“Of course.”

Again, he answered fast, eyes locked on her and she felt her heart miss a beat. Not one but all of them.

Happiness was stirring through her at an unbreakable pace.

“And I wouldn’t be in your way? You know, in between making the bed and poaching those eggs and reading all those emails?” she looked up at him through her lashes, a small smile escaping her rosy mouth.

“You'd be very welcome.”

He moved closer to her, one hand interlacing through hers and the other resting on the back of her head. With the softest pressure, he brought her closer, his lips pressing against hers before kissing her harder as her nails slowly scraped his shoulder with urgency.

She moaned in disappointment as he pulled away and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Any more questions or are you happy now?” he whispered as he gently kissed the base of her throat.

Eve gasped at the shock of the soft sensation.

“I’m pretty damn happy,” she mumbled into his chest as he continued his ministrations on her neck, the rain now dry and sun high in the sky, pooling over them in rich golden streams.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. 
> 
> More fics @starrystarrytrouble on Tumblr.
> 
> \- Ruby


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